Cyberbullying on Social Media Linked to Teen Depression

Jessica Thiefels

Cyberbullying has taken bullying to the next level, allowing teens to harass their peers online.

Bullying is not new—it’s something that’s been around for as long as time. Cyberbullying, however, has taken bullying to the next level in our modern world, allowing teens to harass their peers online, from the safety of their own bedroom or home.

Know the Facts About Cyberbullying

Like traditional bullying, cyberbullying can come in a variety of unfamiliar forms, including:

Outing: sharing secrets or personal information about someone to a large group of people

Trolling: winding people up online by asking immature comments or making mean comments.

With access to technology at an all-time high for kids and teens, it’s no wonder this has become a serious problem.

52% of teenagers have been victims of cyberbullying.

24% have experienced repeated bullying via cellphone or internet.

95% of teens have witnessed this behavior online and ignored it.

Researchers for Cyberbullying.org published similar findings. In a study of 457 high school in the Midwestern United States:

19.4% said they’ve heard rumors online.

15% has been cyberbullied.

21% have experienced this bullying more than once

Link to Teen Depression

The growing prevalence of this problem has lead to a new issue: teen depression. In recent years, we’ve all been witness to a variety of news stories about young kids committing suicide as a result of this bullying. While the “health effects” of cyberbullying are “widely unknown,” according to a report on Livescience.com, it’s clear there’s a link between teen depression and this modern form of bullying.

“Unlike traditional forms of bullying, youth who are the targets of cyberbullying at school are at greater risk for depression than are the youth who bully them,” according to NIH researchers. Why? Because victims cannot see and therefore identify their harasser, making them more likely to feel isolated, helpless or dehumanized.

In fact, among 1,320 students from Australia, those who were cyberbullied reported significantly higher depressive symptoms. They were also found to engage in other dangerous activities including increase drinking and smoking in addition to getting lower grades in school, all of this according to a study published in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health.

As a parent, it can be difficult to know when your child is the victim of cyberbullying, as many studies have found that children rarely tell an adult about what they’re experiencing. As such, it’s important to be aware of the signs of cyberbullying.

According to StopBullying.gov, some of these signs include:

Difficulty sleeping or nightmares

Declining grades

Changes in eating habits or skipping meals

Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations

Decreased self-esteem

Destructive behaviors, like running away or harming themselves

Cyberbullying is no longer just a buzzword; it’s a real problem around the world, affecting more and more children every year.